JP2003-81042 A discloses a parking assisting apparatus comprising a first sensor for measuring a distance with respect to an obstacle in a lateral direction of the vehicle, a second sensor for measuring a travel distance of the vehicle, a yaw angle detector for detecting a yaw angle of the vehicle, guiding means for outputting guidance information as to operations of the vehicle to a driver, and a controller configured to estimate an initial stop location based on measurements of the distance and the travel distance obtained in the course of moving the vehicle forward toward the initial stop location, and provide the driver with timing information suited to start to move the vehicle backward for parking via the guiding means based on measurements of the yaw angle and the estimated initial stop location.
By the way, at a preliminary stage of parking, it is necessary for a driver to recognize a condition of obstacles (i.e., poles or pillars in parking areas or other vehicles) in order to search for parking space available in which own vehicle can be parked.
With respect to it, according to the above prior art, although adequate timing to temporarily stop for moving the vehicle backward for parking is given, the driver is not informed of a parking space available and thus the burden of the driver at the preliminary stage of parking is not reduced sufficiently.